AdventHealth plans hospital in Winter Haven, Lakeland Regional adding emergency unit

Two major medical facilities are coming to Polk County.

AdventHealth plans to build a four-story hospital and emergency room in Winter Haven, the company announced Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Lakeland Regional Health revealed plans for a freestanding emergency department in South Lakeland at the corner of South Florida Avenue and C.R. 540A.

AdventHealth has acquired a 42-acre property at the northwest corner of Cypress Gardens Boulevard and Cypress Gardens Road. The company plans to build a 192-bed hospital, including an emergency department, along with medical offices and ancillary facilities, according to a news release.

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The first phase of construction will include a freestanding emergency room, which will open to the community prior to the hospital construction phase, the release said. The Winter Haven City Commission unanimously approved the final zoning changes Monday night for the property, currently vacant land just south of River Lake.

The hospital will eventually offer primary care, cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedic and urological specialty medical services, the release said. AdventHealth did not reveal a date for construction to begin.

The company, based in Altamonte Springs, operates two hospitals in Polk County, AdventHealth Heart of Florida in Davenport and AdventHealth Lake Wales. The new facility will be about four miles from Winter Haven Hospital, operated by BayCare.

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“This new hospital brings needed critical care services and builds on the already robust network of primary, specialty and urgent care we already have in the Winter Haven community,’’ Jennifer Wandersleben, AdventHealth Regional President and CEO, said in the release. “We’re deeply invested in helping people live their healthiest life possible and are committed to growing our services and access points to make that happen.”

Polk County property records show that Double Eagle Land Development, based in Venice, bought three parcels at the site of the planned hospital for a total of about $4.7 million in the 2000s. No recent sales have yet been recorded on the website of the Polk County Property Appraiser.

Lakeland Regional Health plans to build a freestanding emergency department on 2.2 acres at 6150 South Florida Avenue. That is the site of the former BB&T Bank.

It will be the first emergency center outside of LRH’s main hospital. The health system says that the hospital has the second-busiest emergency department in the country.

Lakeland Regional is working through the architectural design, budget and construction planning process and intends to begin construction in 2023, according to a news release. The site will have direct access from South Florida Avenue and C.R. 540A.

“Part of our five-year strategic plan is to ensure our patients have access to convenient and reliable care, including emergency services,” Danielle Drummond, President and CEO of Lakeland Regional Health, said in the release. “We feel privileged to grow alongside our community by expanding into South Lakeland to serve our patients and families.”

County records show that Lemonade MM Fund LLC bought the property in August for $1.23 million. The fund is connected to Madison Marquette, a real estate investment firm based in Washington, D.C.

BB&T Bank paid $2.78 million for the parcel in 2010, according to county records. An 11,000-square-foot building on the site was previously home to Citrus & Chemical Bank.

The announcement from LRH comes soon after another hospital chain, HCA, said that is withdrawing its application to build a 60-bed hospital in Lakeland at the intersection of C.R. 540A and Harrell’s Nursery Road. The proposal drew opposition from many local residents, who argued that it would worsen traffic problems in the area.

The Polk County Planning Commission had voted against recommending a zoning change to allow construction of the hospital.

Lakeland Regional Health began construction this year on a medical center at a 20-acre site north of Interstate 4, near Kathleen Road. The facility will offer primary and specialty care and will have space for residency training, part of a graduate medical education program scheduled to begin next year.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: AdventHealth plans hospital in Winter Haven, LRH adding emergency unit